Drone Thoughts

[Xaren Hypr]

I didn't think of using drones...hmm...then a couple of side questions:

1) If I design the "mini-drone" with [Uses Engines = False], will it still be able to use the Combat Movement ability that I put on the chassis?

2) I want to design the new Launcher component (Capacity is too small for usefulness with regular drones, but just big enough for a volley of the mini ones) with the ability to manufacture more of them when outside of combat. How would I best set the SY ability to prevent, or at least try to , using the mini-fac to build cruisers or something ?

I've got bits and pieces of a mod I've been fiddling with floating around on my HDD...just another bit of flotsam to add to it, neh?

[ZeroAdunn]

Also: Don't forget different damage types don't work on ramming warheads.

[Phoenix-D]

On 1: I think they need at least one engine for that to work.

"2) I want to design the new Launcher component (Capacity is too small for usefulness with regular drones, but just big enough for a volley of the mini ones) with the ability to manufacture more of them when outside of combat. How would I best set the SY ability to prevent, or at least try to , using the mini-fac to build cruisers or something?"

You make your mini missiles cost only, say, Minerals. Then your SY ability is given a 0 point speed for organics and radioactives; since all normal ships need those, you won't be able to build normal ships with it.

Give the drones no supply storage and they'll self-destruct after combat. Otherwise any that don't reach their target (i.e. the ones left over after it blows) will sit around the sector until their supply runs out.

[Krsqk]

You can always give the drone hull (in VehicleSizes.txt) the movement generation ability (or whatever it's called). Without supply storage, they won't be able to move anywhere anyway even if they do get launched.

Will the AI be smart enough not to assign ships to the drone-only SYs? Assuming one actually got built?

[Xaren Hypr]

Originally posted by ZeroAdunn:
Also: Don't forget different damage types don't work on ramming warheads.

So the damage types of "Only Engines," "Only Shield Generators," etc. will only work on Mine Warheads, but not Drone Warheads?

I kinda figured they would, since both are the same weapon type in Components.txt (Warhead)...back to the design board...

A thought though....if I put an ability (Combat to Hit Defence Plus, Armor Regenerstion, Component Repair) on a weapon, does it operate as normal..or just not at all?

Just some thoughts...

[Fyron]

Originally posted by ZeroAdunn:
Also: Don't forget different damage types don't work on ramming warheads.

Its not that they don't work, it is that it is impossible to assign them. For a weapon to do damage when ramming, it has to have the warhead damage type. So, it can not have any other damage type, and hence can not do only engines and such.

A thought though....if I put an ability (Combat to Hit Defence Plus, Armor Regenerstion, Component Repair) on a weapon, does it operate as normal..or just not at all?

They will work the same as on any other component.

[ May 19, 2003, 09:31: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Xaren Hypr]

They (Mine Warhead - Mine, Anti-ship Warhead - Drone) both have the same damage type..."Normal". IIRC, mines can have other damage types (P&N and Adamant both use them, if I remember the earlier Posts correctly), and there is very little difference between the to comps in the file. That's why I figured that I could create alternate payloads for my mini-drones.

Here are the two comps for comparison:

Name := Mine Warhead I
Description := Large warhead which will explode on contact with a ship.
Pic Num := 185
Tonnage Space Taken := 5
Tonnage Structure := 5
Cost Minerals := 50
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 20
Vehicle Type := Mine
Supply Amount Used := 5
Restrictions := None
General Group := Weapons
Family := 2026
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Explosive Warheads
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := Warhead
Weapon Target := Ships\Planets\Ftr\Sat\Drone
Weapon Damage At Rng := 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Normal
Weapon Reload Rate := 0
Weapon Display Type := Torp
Weapon Display := 0
Weapon Modifier := 0
Weapon Sound := mine.wav
Weapon Family := 24

Name := Anti - Ship Warhead I
Description := Large warhead which will explode when a drone hits an enemy ship.
Pic Num := 185
Tonnage Space Taken := 20
Tonnage Structure := 50
Cost Minerals := 500
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 200
Vehicle Type := Drone
Supply Amount Used := 5
Restrictions := None
General Group := Weapons
Family := 4002
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Drones
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := Warhead
Weapon Target := Ships\Sat
Weapon Damage At Rng := 200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Normal
Weapon Reload Rate := 0
Weapon Display Type := Torp
Weapon Display := 0
Weapon Modifier := 0
Weapon Sound := mine.wav
Weapon Family := 50

Apologies in advance if I'm ranting about nothing ...I'm running tired, and I've got to head to work in a few hours...time for a nap

Just a bit of discussion..